Textile fabrics



UNITED STATEIATENT OFFICE.

JAS. MELVILLE, OF LOCHWINNOOH, AND JOS. BURCH, OF MACCLESFIELD, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,376, dated August 7, 1855.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES MELVILLE, of Roebank IVorks, Lochwinnoch, in the county of Renfrew, and JOSEPH BURCH, of Crag Hall, near Macclesfield, in the county of Chester, both in the Kingdom of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Textile Fabrics and other Surfaces, and that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the principle or character which distinguishes them from all other things before known and of the usual manner of making, modifying, and using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

Our said invention relates to various novel arrangements of machinery apparatus or means for printing, coloring, or ornamenting shawls and other fabrics, whereby greater economy and accuracy as well as peculiarity of effect is obtained, than by the ordinary systems of ornamentation hitherto in use, and in order that our said invention maybe properly understood we shall now proceed to describe the several figures on the sheet of drawings hereunto attached.

Description of the drawz'ngs.-Figure 1 of the drawings is an end elevation of the machine as in working order for printing shawls. Fig. 2 is a corresponding longitudinal elevation of the machine at right angles to Fig. 1, parts of the apparatus being shown as broken away and in section. Fig. 3, is a detail showing` the slide rest carrier for the printing apparatus together with the slide bed thereof, in transverse section as supported upon an intermediate standard with the gearing for the color apparatus and printing roller, in end or side elevation corresponding to Figs. l and 2, a segment of the large cylinder being shown, with the printing roller in section upon it. Fig. 4 is a separate detail of a segment of the large drum or impression cylinder, with the pattern printing roller, sieve or endless color feed band and color boX as disposed upon the slide rest carrier in transverse section. Fig. 5, is a similar detail illustrating a Inode of supplying color from the reservoir box, by means of surface feed and distribution rollers instead of a sieve or feed band. Fig. 6 is a detailed longitudinal elevation of the printing roller as arranged Vunder a different modification to be actuated from the main cylinder by means of a continuous sliding shaft and a single spur wheel.

The main framing of this machine as constructed according to the modification delineated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, consists of two open end standards A bolted down to the floor and each carrying an adjustable pedestal B as end bearings for the main tubular shaft C of the cylinder D. The pedestals B are planed on their soles and fitted to the tops of the standards by means of bolts and slot holes and each of them carries at its back a projecting eye piece E slotted laterally and bored out at the end to form a revolving joint with the end of the screw spindle F. A nut bracket G is bolted on to the standard behind, and through this, the screwed portion of the spindle F, is passed. Thus by turning the screw by a key entered upon the squared head I-I the pedestal can be traversed back or forward for the adjustment of the cylinders periphery up to the printing surface. The large cylinder is built up of cast iron bosses, I, to which the inner ends of eight cast iron arms, J, are bolted the outer ends of these arms being connected to a set of segmental pieces K forming the carrying rim for the wooden shell or impression surface L. To one end of this cylinder is bolted a set of segments to form a large spur wheel M of fine pitch and arranged to gear with a spur pinion N carried upon a longitudinal shaft O, running along the front of the cylinder. The actuating power of the machine is communicated to it throughthe mainshaft C, from the left, where it is shown broken away in Fig. 2, and the revolution of the main cylinder thus drives all the rest of the printing ovements through the wheel and pinion Each main standard projects forward as at P to form bracket supports vfor the longitudinal slide rest bed Q, which is also supported at intermediate points by the standards R. This bed is planed on it-s upper surface and fitted up like the corresponding part of a slide lathehaving upon it carrier, S, with adjustable headstocks T, U, for the support of the wooden printing roller V. This roller is built up solid upon a short spindle W the ends of which are centered so as to enable the print-ing surface carrying the device to be accurately turned to a cylindrical form in the lathe before it is fitted into the machine for printing and the same end centers answer to carry the roller during the printing, the headstock V having a short adjustable center like the following headstock of a lathe, while the other headstock T has a brass bearing X on each of its vertical standards carrying a correspondingly centered spindle for the support of the opposite end of the printing roller. This latter spindle is capable of being set up by an end adjusting' screw Y and it is connected to the printing roller spindle by a dog t or adjustable catch plate Z as in an ordinary lathe-so that the printer can easily set his roller on commencing an impression-on the front headstock spindle and between the standards thereof, is a spur wheel a in gear with an intermediate carrier wheel b running loose on a stud in one of the standards-this latter wheel Z) beingarranged to gear with another wheel c also carried between the standards but entered upon the longitudinal shaft O. This shaft which is carried in end bearings Z in brackets bolted to the main standards, is grooved longitudinally throughout its length, and the wheel c is fitted upon it with a key entering the groove so that the wheel is compelled to revolve with the shaft while it has at the same time freedom to traverse along the shaft with the printing roller. The carrier wheel Z) also gears with a bottom wheel c set loose on a. stud in the headstock and made to drive a wheel j fast on the overhanging end of the spindle of the bottom color supplying roller g. 'This roller spindle is carried in bearings in the standards h of a separate adjustable bracket carrier the base of which is dovetailed to traverse upon the slide rest carrier S at right angles to the traverse of such carrier. The space comprised between the standards of this upper carrier affords room for the color box 2' into which the roller g dipsthus supplying color to the seive or endless feed band j passed around the roller g and up over the higher small roller 7c the spindle of which is carried in end bearings in the tops of the separate standard pieces Z which are entered at their lower ends upon the spindle of the roller g as a center. The standards z can be formed with projecting segmental pieces secured by screw studs so that the roller 7c may be set back or forward and held at any determined point, so as to press the feed band y' with greater or less force against the printing roller. The tension of 'the feed band is also adjustable by the upper thumb-nuts n and aA pair of thumb screws 0 in front of the standards, L serve to adjust a spreading clearing brush o against the outer length of the feed band-the ends of the brush being contrived to slide in inclined grooves in the inner sides of the standards it.

At p are two wedge catches fast on the end of two spindles, g, set in bearings in the slide rest carrier and contrived so that by turning them more or less around the bracket carrier of the color apparatus may be set up for printing action as required. The necessary traverse for setting the printing roller at the proper part of the slide rest table for printing is obtained by a winch handle r fast upon a spindle s carried in brackets bolted to the slide rest carrier S and having fast upon it a spur pinion t gearing with a longitudinal toothed rack u bolted to the inside of the slide rest table or bed Q, and on the eX- ternal front of the bed is screwed fast a notched or serrated plate v the serrations or stops on which plate are set out to correspond to the particular repeats in use at any given time in printing, a new serrated plate being screwed at each change in the repeat.

At w is a bracket piece screwed on to the front of the slide rest carrier and carrying a stud as the joint center for the catch the loose end of which has liberty to fall into the notches of the plate.

When piece is to b-e printed in the machine it is stretched over the periphery of the large cylinder D, the ends of the fabric being held in the notch or recess y and the printing roller previously prepared is then The adjustment of the roller spindle, isA

effected by a hand wheel fronting the operator. The printing roller is then set up to the end of the slide rest bed, as in Fig. 2, and the end portion of the device or pattern is then printed as at l. Then for the next repeat of the pattern the handle, r, is turned to traverse the entire printing apparatus along the bed to a distance equal to the width of the repeat, the screws F behind being turned slightly to slacken off the large cylinder from printing contact, or instead of this plan of releasing the printing contact the same effect is more easily attainable by bringing the slot or opening y of the main cylinder opposite the printing roller when the latter will of course be able to traverse freely. The serrated plate v serves as an accurate set for the printing roller at the termination of the shift for the repeat, as the catch wfalls into a notch of the plate at the exact point intended for the new position of the printing roller. The main cylinder is then again set up into printing contact and the operation goes on as before until the whole number of repeats in the length of the cylinder have been printed on and this process is then continued with the rest of the colors, or instead of this mode of printing another plan may be adopted when the pattern has several colors in it, that is the color apparatus only is shifted at each revolution. Under this modification when vthe main cylinder has made one revolution for the printing of a repeat in one color,

In printing lengths of goods as in carpeting the different colors are laid on by a corresponding set of surface rollers set one in advance of the other as regards the direction of revolution of the main cylinder, each roller and color apparatus being carried upon a slide rest, as already described herein. Thus each color roller prints in succession and the apparatus being kept constantly working in the same direction the forward revolution of the main cylinder carries around the piece just as many times as is necessary for` the repetition of the successive series of color impressions to saturate the fabric. To keep an accurate steady printing or impression surface on the main cylinder the bottom blanket or layer of soft material next to the cylinders surface is gummed or cemented to that surface and the glazed cloth covering over the first layer is also gummed or cemented down in a similar manner. This arrangement prevents the slipping or distortion of the impression surface'from the giving way of the surface under the printing pressure. The exterior of the glazed cloth has also a coating of gum or adhesive matter to secure the piece itself from shifting as it is being printed. A similar effect may be secured by the insertion of short pins into the main cylinder in longitudinal rows so that they may penetrate and prevent the giving way or warping of the cylinders covering. By suitably arranging the feeding in and the taking off, of the fabric the printing operation as regards carpets and other similar fabrics may be made continuous. That is to say, a feeder in of the piece stands on one side of the machine and attaches the edge to the notched or recessed part of the main cylinder and the piece then being passed through the printing process as required, is detached at the leading or .front end on the opposite side of the main cylinder so as to bear a portion 1 of the main cylinder for the putting on of a fresh piece on the feeding side. In this way the feeding in of the blank piece and the release of theprinted piece may be simultaneous. It is to be understood that in the cases where the word repeat is herein before used as effecting the traverse or shift of the printing roller, the intention is to express the repeating of the length of pattern comprised limits of the roller.

The large impression drum or cylinder may either be a plain cylinder without any cut or opening and either of the exact size or larger in circumference than the piece within the longitudinal to be printed, or it may have so much cut out of its circumference as will bring its available surface to the required length of the shawl border. Each side of the cut or opening is fitted with a row of pins or stent-er teeth and the opposite parallel edges are thus pinned down and secured to the two edges of the cut. The fabric is thus stretched out evenly upon the cylindrical surface in readiness for receiving the impression of the printing roller just as it would be stretched on a plane surface in block printing. The printing roller used in this machine may either be of the usual construction or it may be built up of four pieces of wood, one fourth only of the periphery being in use for printing, this segment consequently projecting up from the rest. Thus according to one system in commencing to print the two opposite edges of the fabric are stretched parallel with the two ends of the drum and the color apparatus supplies color to the printing roller, which is suitably adjusted on its shaft to print one of the borders when the whole length of this border has thus been laid on by the revolution in contact of the main drum and printing roller. LThe latter is disconnected from contact with drum by slackening back the printing roller shaft or that of the impressiondrum, according as the former or latter is made adjustable or the printing roller may be removed when the out in the main drum comes opposite to the printing roller. The printing roller is then slackened on its shaft and traversed along its feather to the other end to print the opposite border, the color apparatus being traversed in front of the drum, so as to correspond to the new position of the printing roller. When this is done the printing roller is again fixed and the shaft is adjusted if necessary so as to print the second border. When this is done the printing roller with its appurtenances is detached from the machine and removed to second machine exactly like the first. It is here readjusted to print the two borders of second fabric fastened upon a drum in the manner already described arrangements being made for the due fitting of the printing roller accurately in position. Vhen these two borders have been printed the printing apparatus may be shifted to a third machine and so throughout any given series. Then so soon as sufficient time has elapsed for the earliest impression to dry the printing roller with the second color may be similarly brought up and adjusted to print over the first impression and following in this way throughout the series of borders or impressions: the remaining pair of parallel borders yet unprinted on each piece being piece upon its drum hending two or also applicable for printing various fabrics as for example bandana handkerchiefs.

Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said invention and the manner in which the same is or may l be used or carried into effect, what we consider to be novel and Original and therefore claim as the invention secured to us, by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent borders with t-he same plane with the print- I ing roller ends. The object of this system of printing is to enable the work to be quickly continuously and accurately carried on without incurring any loss of time l by the delays ordinarily occuring between each impression to allow the colors to dry I or solidify so as not to blur or spoil each 1 other all the printing rollers are accurately adjusted so as to fit at once to their places t 1s` at each shift and keep the perfect register l. The mode of printing in two or more which is necessary to produce the finished colorsl by means of a movable color apparatus in connection with the pattern printing roller traversing laterally on a slide rest by means of which the colors in a repeat are printed without shifting the printing roller as described.

2. The application of a slide rest guide apparatus for guiding and'regulating the action of the pattern printing roller when the mode of connecting such slide rest apparatus with the impression cylinder is by means of a grooved shaft traverse movement as described.

3. The mode of adjusting the position of the printing roller at the repeat shifts by means of notched or serrated plates set to correspond to the different repeats.

4. The mode of printing carpeting and other fabrics by means of printing rollers corresponding to the several colors in the repeat set one in advance of the other in the direction of the main cylinders revolution, that revolution being' continued until the colors are duly impressed upon or into the fabric.

In testimony whereof we, the said JAMES MELVILLE and JOSEPH BUROI-I, hereto subscribe Our names in the presence of the witnesses whose names are hereto subscribed on these days-that is to say, the said J AMES MELVILLE hereto subscribes his name on the twenty second clay of February, 1854, and the said J osErI-I BUROH on the sixth day of March7 1854.

JAMES MELVILLE. JOSEPH BURCH. Signed by James Melville in our presence- WILLIAM J. MOORE, EDMUND HUNT. Signed by Joseph Burch in our presence- Jos. MONDEL7 JOHN A. FOSTER.

design. It is then intended that just so many of the same impressions shall be carried on in sequence at one time as shall enable the first of the series to be dried or aged. Or if a very large number of cylinders or drums are used the whole of the first impressions on all of them may be laid I on in regular sequence, the first of the series having its second impression applied at any period during the sequence of the first that the economic arrangements of the attendants labors may point out after the time has elapsed for the drying operation,'and although this system of working has been described with special reference tothe printing of borders it is to be understood as equally applicable for printing the grounds or centers of shawls and similar articles.

A color apparatus may be used compremore separate colors so that when one color has been printed the second may be printed over it by adjusting the required printing roller or segment upon the shaft and traversing the color carriage along its rails Vto bring the required color up to the roller. In this case a considerable space must be left between the ends of the impression drum and the main standards to allow of the traverse of the carriage on changing the colors. By such an arrangement the disengagement of the color carriage from the large drum is entirely Obviated. The several colors in a pattern may either come into action successively one after the other as before mentioned or they may be printed all at one time by so setting them that their actions shall be distant from each other just the extent of the repeat.

It will be clear to the practical printer that this system of printing is equally applicable for printing with complete rollers instead of segments. The same system is 

